Tales of the Lost Jedi
by Son of Skywalker
Summary: When Anakin Skywalker assumed his new identity, Darth Vader, he led an assault on the Jedi Temple, aiming to destroy all inside. But three Jedi Padawans managed to escape... Disclaimer: I own nothing except Alek, Suri, Cira and Commander Pluto.


**STAR WARS:**

TALES OF THE LOST JEDI

By Son of Skywalker

Chapter 1: Order 66

19-year-old Alek Hammond sat up in his bed inside the cramped quarters he shared with Suriet Opuliva, the closest thing he ever had to a best friend. He stood about six feet tall, with a proportioned but muscular body, thick brown hair that was cut fairly short (all but for his padawan's braid) and blue eyes with all the intensity of a Republic Cruiser's thrusters.

It was hard for padawans at his age in these days. Most of his early classmates already had masters. Some were even Jedi Knights, since the need for more Jedi in the outer rim had lowered some standards a bit. Alek was confident he could pass the trials, but he had never had a master other than Yoda, nor had he been outside Coruscant since he was brought there as a toddler for being recognized as Force-sensitive. He'd gotten much more refined over the years... still training under Master Yoda did that for a young Jedi. In a way Alek felt lucky. Yoda was revered as one of the greatest Jedi ever, if not THE greatest.

Alek previously had been a shirker, which he now regretted as he fell behind his classmates, so he had begun to focus in on his studies a few years ago, and improved so much that Yoda had promised he would find a master for him, and many masters had shown interest in taking him on as a learner. As he was about to be apprenticed, as luck would have it, the Clone Wars began and all the Jedi were given squads of Clones to go and lead in battle. No-one would have time for teaching an "unexperienced padawan" as Mace Windu put it. Years ago he was almost apprenticed to Plo Koon, but the great Kel Dor master was elected to the council at the dying wish of Master Tyvokka. Many times he had visited with Koon at the Temple on a subject that intrigued them both: Force Lightning.

Sith Lightning was what everyone else called it. The subject was brought to more urgency in Plo Koon's mind when the reports of Count Dooku's usage of the technique surfaced. The council had tried to keep it secret, but as with all societies, rumors slip out. They said that even the great Jedi war hero, Anakin Skywalker, was left powerless against it, even though they say Skywalker was only a padawan at the time. Suprisingly, when Alek questioned Master Koon, with whom he had become friendly, about the mysterious technique, the Kel Dor didn't hold back any knowledge.

"Sith Lightning," he had said, "Is non-existant. I practice the technique myself, and I can truthfully state that no malice was present in its usage! Therefore you should refer to it as Force lightning; for even powerful lightning from the sky is not exempt from the influence of the Force! But we must be wary in its usage, my boy, for it is a difficult power to control, and even more dangerous... it is easier used by tapping into one's feelings! You must make your self one with the Force in order to use this power as a Jedi."

So, in secret, Plo Koon instructed Alek Hammond on the usage of Force lightning. Together, they designed an apparatus that, when coursed with Force Lightning, would light up according to the amount of power expelled. Alek glanced at his friend Suriet, who was sound asleep. _Good. I don't need anyone noticing me practicing this technique..._ He closed his eyes, stretched out his hand and felt the heat of the bolts on his fingertips. He illuminated the apparatus, and a certain serenity crept over his body. It's true, even the most volatile things of nature are only there to create balance! Suddenly, he stopped.

He was startled by what sounded like lightsabers clashing in the hallway, but it was too late for any sparring, the padawan curfew was expired for quite some time. He stood up, strapped on his belt, and shook Suriet's sleeping body. Suriet's face formed one of those _what the hell is wrong with you?! _faces Alek had gotten used to seeing over the years of waking the lazy 15-year-old padawan up for classes. And sparring. AND ceremonies.

"Something's wrong," he explained. Suriet rose to his feet- or at least he tried. He blinked his dark brown eyes a few times, flopped back down and watched groggy while Alek hooked his lightsaber to his belt.

"Obviously," he replied. Alek tossed his friend his belt and weapon, and started towards the door. Suddenly, the clashes stopped and he heard one lightsaber switch off and retract. Their ears heard over and over the sound of a body falling limp to the floor.

Alek motioned to his friend to come look, and Suriet quickly sobered up and they both peered out into the hallway. They looked left... and then right... it was clear. He put his foot out into the hallway only to see the motionless body of Jedi Master Depa Billaba. Alek and Suriet stared in horror. Her eyes stared off as if in a trance, although she was looking at Suriet, the boy she had taken a liking to and had all but taken him as a learner. Alek had a slightly negative opinion of Master Billaba, a former student of Mace Windu who had some... questionable qualities about her, but even those feelings dissipate when you see someone suffering. _Don't they??_

Clearly she was stabbed through the chest by a lightsaber, but by whom?! Her face grimaced in pain, and Suriet's heart sank. No. This wasn't happening. Then she breathed her last.

Suriet began to panic. "Alek... we've got to find the masters! They'll know what to do! Only they can save us if this attacker killed Master Billaba!" Alek licked his lips in thought. His eyes darted about, trying to think of what Master Yoda would do. Of what Plo Koon would do. "Alek! Are you listening to me?"

"No, Suriet, finding masters will do us no good," Alek remarked, "most are off-world on missions. Ki-Adi-Mundi, Master Kenobi, Master Tiin, Plo Koon, even Master Yoda is away with a siege on Kashyyyk, I believe. There is a great disturbance in the Force here."

"What about Master Windu? Or Master Kenobi?"

"I overheard Master Windu talking to Master Skywalker about some business with the Supreme Chancellor while I was in the hangar today just before curfew... I don't know what it was about but it seemed urgent because Master Windu was boarding a gunship bound for the senate building, or at least thats what the hangar logs said." Alek closed his eyes, focused on his memory. "He even took Eeth Koth and Kit Fisto with him, almost like he was expecting a battle. As for Master Kenobi, he's on assignment on Utapau."

Suriet's eyes narrowed. "You seem to know an awful lot for just a Padawan."

Alek's gaze travelled to the eerily clean walls of the corridor. "Master Koon is on the council, and he lets me in on some things. He's probably not supposed to, but he's not one to hide any knowledge, in my experience."

"Well what are we gonna do then? I don't feel like waiting here to d-"

The door behind Suriet on the end of the hallway slid open with a thud and in stepped a squad of clone troops, about four or five men strong, armed to the teeth with grenades, blaster rifles and pistols, and other tools of destruction. Their stark white armor, which once was to the Jedi an outward reflection of purity, now only would show only soullessness and evil. The Captain, was well decorated; his blood red cape and golden shoulder pads more than made him stand out. He was very tall, almost 6 and 1/2 feet. He wasn't fat, but he wasn't in shape either. Inactivity while waiting for Order 66 will do that to a soldier. But he _was _very muscular, and even could intimidate the fearless Republic Clone soldiers. His hand waved forward towards the padawans in the usual gesture. "Weapons free, boys! Destroy the Jedi scum!"

Alek's eyes slid shut for just a second, although it seemed for years. Everything in every lesson and every battle against a remote or sparring partner had led to this: the end of the era for the Jedi, and the birth of an era of darkness, where the lessons learned would determine either survival... or death. And yet, in his mind's eye, Alek saw the blaster bolts. Seven. Seven well-placed bolts that, if not deflected, would cause doom for them both. He saw his lightsaber ignite and and be cradled in his hands, and be swung around just perfectly so that each bolt was knocked harmlessly away from him and his companion. One. Two. The front-man falls. Three. The Captain's blaster is totaled and he is disarmed. Four, five, six, seven! The Captain's squad falls around him, their chests bearing the unmistaking mark of a scored hit: their scorched armor revealing seared flesh.

Alek's eyes flickered for a split second, and then opened. And then... Alek executed.

Grabbing Suriet's arm, Alek rushed off in the other direction, dragging the dazed padawan along. The Captain growled. "Filthy cowards! It is pointless to run from Imperial Commander Pluto!" He reached past his gold-adorned, custom cross-hilt, rare Echani vibroblade and flipped out three of his six-pointed shuriken. Pluto believed in the ancient weapons, but in this day and age... of course they had to be made out of the Lightsaber-resistant Echani fiber. He was, after all, a Jedi-Hunter. He wasn't secretly appointed by Palpatine specifically for Order 66 because he looked cute; which he didn't. His face looked like it had kissed a Rancor.

Pluto flung the weapons all at once, one was deflected by Alek's back-handed lightsaber swing, but the other two lodged into the young Jedi's back. The young man fell hard to the floor in shock from the pain, blood staining the back of his light brown Jedi garb. Of course Suriet was dragged down too, still in somewhat of a trance from these events. Pluto's footfalls echoed through the hallway as if a shadow. Stealth certainly helped against prey that had heightened senses. One calloused, muscular hand slid around Suriet's throat and lifted the boy with ease. "You are weak, and don't even deserve a fighting chance."

The vibroblade was unsheathed and pulled back, ready sink its fangs into the young Jedi, when a few bolts of lightning coursed into The Imperial Commander's armor, knocking his gold-trimmed helmet off and to the floor. The hand's grip quickly lost all its strength, and the awe-struck padawan sank to the floor. The Commander's intense, red eyes and dark, scarred face emoted pain and suprise, but also resiliency. As the soldier hunched over attempting to regain strength, Alek and Suriet slipped out of the corridor and away from harm, or at least for the moment.

* * *

Alek and Suriet raced to the library since it was a central area where they might be able to rally with other Jedi, but as he opened the door, he saw nothing but terror all over. There lay the bodies of dozens of Jedi, many clearly slain by a lightsaber. A young Jedi Knight who was barely alive with no full limbs remaining wheezed, "It… was…Skywalker… leave this place, boys… he means to destroy us all…" Then his eyes rolled shut and the padawans felt yet another righteous spirit leave its body. Alek winced as he was reminded that he had two shuriken lodged in his back. Now Suriet had caught on to their situation and had his hand firm around his lightsaber. They took a moment to adjust their blade intensities to full. There would be nothing in pulling strikes now.

With Suriet close behind, Alek sped out the front doors of the Temple. Before him stood a squad of nine clones, at attention. The sergeant barked, "For the Republic! Blast them!" Blaster fire erupted from their rifles. Time, for the young Jedi, became at almost half-speed. Blaster bolts reflected off of the padawans' lightsaber blades and the unconcentrated shots whizzed past harmlessly. Then a thermal detonator was lobbed towards them.

* * *

"Allow the Force to intervene, you must," Yoda's word's echoed to Suriet, "More strength than you it has; wondrous things it may do for you! In between you and the ball, it waits. Command the Force to shield you!" A very young Suriet Opuliva had rubbed his head from the blow he received from the last heavy ball that inpacted. "With the Force, you must connect. Save your life, it can." He had then watched as he allowed the Force to take the next ball and push it away rapidly back at Master Yoda. The ancient Jedi Master did little more than lift a finger and the ball dropped as gravity's laws dictate. "Very good, padawan."

* * *

Suriet raised his hand. The grenade halted in midair and suddenly shot forward, striking the sergeant's helmet. He doubled back, just as the round metal ball exploded, instantly burning the troops through their armor. This, of course, caught the attention of another battalion at the base of the staircase, which had begun to climb. Alek clenched his teeth. "Let's take another way."

They barrelled through the halls which once evoked a feeling of home; of _peace_. Alek's pace lagged behind, for now every step he took, the shuriken scraped the inside of his back. Suddenly, his pupils enlarged as foresight took over his consciousness for a split second. He saw Suriet, who was in front of him, be impaled by a large piece of shrapnel from the exploding wall. _Damn. _He reached out in front of him and just managed to snag Suriet's tunic. "Alek! What the..."

BLAMMM!! The padawans doubled over from the blast. Two more young jedi stepped through. One, the male, he recognized as Davik Heron, a young Rodian padawan of about nine years. The other, a human female of about 16 or 17 it looked like, he did not recognize. She was small featured, with long, straight golden hair that was blowing around from the night's cold wind. He watched as she fought back the clones that were pursuing them through the wall. Her form was excellent, her blue lightsaber gracefully gilding through a clone and spinning about her dark-brown robed body, deflecting bolts as it went...

"C'mon!" Suriet exclaimed as he rose to his feet and leapt to his feet, igniting his weapon. Alek nodded and lifted himself to his feet. _No._ He saw a gunship in the distance moving into position. They would all be killed for sure. His eyes closed.

_Debris. He focused and felt the Force between the large pieces of debris and the now scraped-up floor. No... it's too risky... "_AIIIIIIIII!!" Poor little Davik's green head led his whole body to the floor, taken by an unexpected blaster bolt. _There's no time! He stretched out his hand... and then he felt the Force fling one large slab into the soldiers just entering the hallway, crushing one and causing the rest to double back. Some even dropped their weapons._

"Suri! _The gunship!_" Alek watched Suriet send him a look, then a nod, snag a thermal detonator from a corpse and throw it, Force-aided, into the hold of the gunship through the oval-shaped windows. The clones inside looked around in surprise. _Chink, chink. BLAAAAAAAMMM!!_

Suriet's subsequent smirk assured Alek of its destruction. Alek ignited his green blade and swung it through two unsuspecting clones, deflected a bolt, and retracted his blade, satisfied that they had defeated this wave. The female was on the floor, with her hand on Davik's forehead. She pressed her fingertips on the boy rodian's open eyelids, and pulled down, sheathing his lifeless black eyes. She tilted her dark green eyes up to Alek's. "Too many innocent lives this attack has taken, and we have no-one to thank but Anakin Skywalker, that demonic Sith Lord in disguise."

Alek's eyes focused into hers. "No, it cannot be-"

"But it is. I escaped him only thanks to one noble Jedi who stood in his way and told me to run and escape. My name is Cira, and I suggest we leave here immediately. Skywalker will not stop hunting us until we are dead." Alek and Suriet were awe-struck. They had once idolized Skywalker... he was the best in swordplay and piloting in their minds. "Skywalker may even be following me... so let's get to the hangar!" She grabbed Alek's hand and all but pulled his arm off his shoulder as she took off down the hallway.

* * *

The door to the hangar bay flew open and Cira swiftly ran up the ramp into a small cruiser that was docked as if her robe were on fire. Alek gave Suriet a pat on the shoulder moving him forward towards the cruiser when... the door opened again. It was none other than Anakin Skywalker. He didn't say a word. He just ignited his blade and started walking towards them. Suriet ignited his blade and prepared to cross blades with the previously acclaimed war-hero. "Why, Master? Why did you do this Master Skywalker?"

The Dark Jedi kept approaching. "I no longer am known by that name. Behold the power of Darth Vader and the Dark Side of the Force!" He raised his saber and brought it down HARD on Suriet's blade... so hard that Suriet fell back in shock. Vader's mouth formed an evil grin. "Pathetic. This is the case for all the Jedi, who have betrayed my master and sought to sieze control of the Republic!"

Alek's face became twisted by the shock of this monster Skywalker had become. He was terrified, but even more enraged. "Never! Your mind is poisoned, Skywalker! Palpatine IS the Sith Lord after all, isn't he?! I heard Master Windu tell you to stay and you disobeyed, didn't you?! YOU have betrayed us all for your own selfish pride! Plo Koon told me of your distaste with not being appointed a Master! Now you have become one, but only a Master of evil!"

Darth Vader bared his teeth. "You will die for this treason your mouth has spoken." Vader lifted his blade high. Alek raised his hand and closed his eyes. He felt that familiar heat on his fingertips. His core was peaceful, his mind focused, remembering the words of Plo Koon (who, at this very moment, was killed in his starfighter by his Clone squadron on the Outer-Rim Sieges). But something was wrong. He opened his eyes. Anakin was absorbing the lightning in his lightsaber. Vader laughed. "Trying to become a Sith apprentice yourself, young one?" Alek became enraged. The peaceful core was gone, the padawan was channelling his anger! "Goooood," Vader echoed like his Master, "Now destroy me as you so long to do!"

Cira had already powered the small cruiser and stepped down the ramp, wondering where her companions were... and then she saw Alek fending off Skywalker with... _Sith_ lightning... She raced towards Suriet, who was still on the ground, inching away from Vader. Suddenly she stopped. She felt something around her throat... like she was being hanged. She put her hands to her neck. There was nothing there but the long blonde hair draping her robed shoulders. She felt her feet leave the floor.

Vader defended the lightning with his saber-hand... and was constricting Cira's neck with the other. "Come, boy! Kill me... if you can! I am the most powerful Jedi who ever lived! And your girlfriend here can attest to that!" Alek quickly threw a glance Cira's way. A tear rolled down her cheek. She choked out, "Don't listen to... him! Take... the ship... and go! Both... of you! _No. _Alek thought,_ Not another Jedi as long as I am here! _He clenched his teeth and the hate began to flow through him and the Force lightning's intensity more than doubled. Vader's eyes narrowed. He released Cira, who dropped to the floor as if she were tied up in a sack. Suriet leapt to her aid. He put her arm over her shoulder and began to carry her into the cruiser.

Vader put his other hand on his lightsaber's hilt and tried to focus the energy, but the intensity increase happened too quickly. A small, single bolt had gotten past and struck him on the forehead. He fell backwards to the ground. Just then, Alek heard the words of Plo Koon from the Netherworld of the Force: "Alek! NO! You must stop! Now!" Alek blinked his eyes. He had stopped using the Force lightning on Vader. He stared at Vader, who was still dazed by the bolt's hit. To attempt to finish off Vader was very tempting. He would be a hero of the Jedi Order. Then he would lead any remaining Jedi to attack Palpatine and defeat the Sith once and for all! He pointed his blade at Vader.

Commander Pluto stepped through the hangar bay door. He sneered and raised the hunting bow he always kept across his back. His eyes found his target. He spat and released one silver arrow that whistled past Alek's head and found its mark in Suriet's shoulder. He and Cira's unconscious body flopped down on the Cruiser's black boarding ramp. Pluto smirked at Alek, who had been completely taken by surprise by this turn of events. The hangar bay door on the opposite side of the room flew open and another Clone squad stepped through the archway.

Pluto's smirk flattened. His heavy, grim voice spoke: "Blast them." Alek leapt backwards in a Force-aided somersault. The world was half-speed again. He swung his blade and clipped the first of the blaster bolts before landing between the squad and his companions. Suriet's blood rolled down the ramp. His body was pinned to the ramp by the arrow, which had partially lodged into the floor. Cira's eyes fluttered open. She somehow got to her knees. Alek struggled to block all the bolts, even with his mind fully focused. "Cira! Get us..." He blocked the next barrage. "...out of here!"

Cira nodded and tried to spring to her feet but just tripped over herself. Force-grip is quite a potent and powerful ability indeed. She scrambled into the ship and hit the control to raise the boarding ramp. Suriet moaned in pain as his weight shifted. Alek lifted himself into the cruiser just in time and Cira managed to fire the thrusters, full blast. The cruiser sped away safely from the hangar, leaving Vader and Pluto behind.

Vader lifted his torso from the floor. His head _ached. _He grunted in displeasure as he watched the cruiser speed off into the distance. Pluto appeared by his side. "Well, my lord, I suppose we'll have to go after them."

Vader frowned. "Yes, Commander, since _you _let them escape."

Commander Pluto chuckled. His armor, chest and many utilities shook, creating a rustling noise. "Yeah." He almost seemed pleased with himself... or was it just what Vader had said to him? He started back towards the hangar bay door. "Oh... and by the way... nice fightin' there, Ace."

* * *

Cira had managed to flop her aching body into the pilot's chair. Alek was hunched over Suriet trying to figure out how he was going to dislodge him from the floor. Blood was all over his left arm and shoulder, staining his white robes. Some had also soaked part of his long black-as-night hair. Cira looked at the console and shook her head in disgust."Dammit... I just realized that..." Suriet groaned.

Alek leaned over. "Quiet, Suri, save your strength." He gently wrapped his fingers around the arrow's guide feathers and tugged a little. Suriet screamed in pain. Cira tried again. "Uh, guys..."

"Dammit, Alek! Get away from me!"

Alek threw his hands up in the air. "Hey, just trying to help..."

"HEY!" Cira shouted. Alek and Suriet froze. "I hate to break up your great discussion," Cira said, "but we may have a problem!" Twenty-two Republic Starships waited before them.


End file.
